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UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

R. GRIFFITHS, OF NEWPORT, KENTUCKY, AND GEO. SHIELD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO ROBT. GRIFFITHS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING RAILROAD-CHAIRS.

Spec-'ication of Letters Patent No. 10,131, dated October 18, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, ROBERT GRIEEITHS, of Newport, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, and GEORGE SHIELD, of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for Making `Wrought-Iron Railroad-Chairs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which makes part of this specification, and in which- A Figure l, is a side elevation in part, showing `the slitting or clipping levers of our improved machine in their position for the insertion of a blank or chair plate between them, and showing the said plate previously to, and after operation by said levers. Fig. 2 is a plan of the entire machine with a double set of head-stocks for working separately and simultaneously our improved clipping and bending levers, and showing the driving gear for operating the levers also the chair in its different stages of formation. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. l, but looking in a reverse direction toward the entire machine and illustrating the bending or finishing levers in their position for the insertion of the clipped plate or partially formed chair in between them and showing the said chair in its unfinished and finished state.

The same letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

Our invention has reference to that class of machines for making wrought iron rail road chairs in which the blank or plate is first clipped and the clip afterward bent to form the lip for lapping over the lower flange of the rail to hold the rail on the sleepers or bearers, and our improvements consist in a novel construction and mode of hanging the clipping and bending levers whereby they are made largely and speedily adjustable to the greatest nicety to suit different thicknesses of blanks or plates, various lengths of lip and distances apartl between the clips and various degrees or configurations of bend to the clip according to t-he size of chair required and the form of the rail which the chairs are designed to carry.

The following is a description of the process of making the chairs by our improved arrangements: The blank or plate (a) being sheared to its required size and heated is placed over or on a mandrel (b) that is seated within or on and across the top face or bearing block of the one pair of headstocks (A), the said plate fit-ting into a slight recess in the bearing block to insure its central position between 'the clipping levers (B) or being otherwise centrally situated between the said levers; the mandrel (E) is of the same form in its transverse section as that of the lower flange of the rail, and in carrying the blank for the formation of the clip, that side or face of it which corresponds with the base of the rail is turned uppermost as represented in Fig. l. The clipping levers (B) 'are arranged to operate on either side of the chair blank and in their downward action cut. and turn the clip to a suitable angle (as represented by blue lines in Fig. 1) to be afterward bent., the clipping levers having their fulcra (c) in eccentrics (CZ) inserted in the headstock, and being made to cut the clip by the action of the revolving cams (C) against their tail end, their own weight serving to throw them back or open after the clip has been cut, for a repetition of the operation on another blank or plate. The cutting face of the clipping levers are made plain or straight and set at such an angle is placed upon the plate and reversed (havl ing its base downward) as represented in Fig. 3. These bending levers may either be hung in separate headst-ocks and motion communicated to the actuating revolving cams by intermediate bevel gear, o-r the clipping levers may be removed from the one pair of headstocks after the clips have been cut of a series of blanks and the bending levers substituted to finish the said blanks.

In the drawing the clipping and bending levers are represented in simultaneous action in separate head stocks and in Fig. 2, the mandrel and chair blank shown on the one side of the said figure in the situation which ,box lever and aliixed therein and to at any required set by adjusting screws (f and g) which admit of the clipping and bending levers being adjusted to'cut and press the clip at any required angle on the mandrel motion being communicated as specified" to said levers by revolving cams which are arranged to bear against or act upon the under surfaces of the box levers To give further adjustability to said levers to suit different lengths of clip or distance between the two lips of the chair, the fulcra- (c) of said levers are hung eccentrically in circular boxes (CZ) which are embedded so `as to turn in the headstocks and are held when set by pawls (it) aiiixed to the headstocks and fitting in teeth on the outside periphery of the circular boxes or eccentrics (d) so that by turning the eccentrics in either direction, either pair of levers may be set closer or farther apart as required. The combination of these two modes of adjusting the clipping and bending levers, that is by raising or lowering the tail ends of said levers and altering the position of the fulcra of them allows of the most accurate and speedy adjustment to suit any thickness of plate or required form or size of clip according to the size and shape of the rail which the chairs are designed to carry, the mandrel (b) in its transverse section always being a counterpart of the bottom flange of said rail. The faces of the levers which cut and bend the clips should be formed of removable steel plates (cutters and dies) secured to the levers by bolts and nuts for the convenience o-f renewing the faces when worn or substituting others of diiferent configuration to suit peculiar forms of rail, but the two fold adjustability of the levers as described and the variation in angular set or action upon the clip which is obtained, obviates the necessity of a change for every required difference in the angular formation of the clip, while but little time is lost in thus adjusting the levers, and their action upon the chair blank is accurately insured, so as to cut the clip with ease and exert the requisite pressure to produce the bend without causing the steel facings of the levers to remain an unnecessary length of time in contact with or press too firmly upon the heated chair plate to draw out the temper from said facings.'

Varying the distances apart of the levers by turning the eccentrics in which they rest we regard as a more expeditious and manageable method of eecting that obj ect than in hanging the fulcra in adjusting slots, while a' rise or fall of the levers is likewise and simultaneously effected by the eccentrics, which additional movement is generally requisite in altering the distances apart o-f the levers.

Having thus described our invention what we claim therein as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. Hanging the fulcra of the clipping and bending levers eccentrically in boxes made capable of circular movement for the purpose of adjusting the said levers to their work with facility and accuracy substantially as specified.

2. The method herein described of adjusting the angular' set of the clipping and bending levers by pivoting and adjustably connecting them to outer operative levers essentially as set forth and whereby a varied inclination may be given to the cutting and bending of the clip to suit different thicknesses of blanks or forms of chair required.

In testimonv whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this day of eighteen hundred and fifty three.

ROBERT GRIFFITHS. GEORGE SHIELD.

'Witnessesz ANDREW LAMB, E. H. PUGH. 

